Brandon Kirksey’s eyes widened as he strolled through the parking lot at the Minnesota Vikings’ training facility at Winter Park.

The former University of Minnesota defensive tackle stared at the flashy rims on a Ford truck before getting ready for tryouts with his fellow Gophers, who were just as amazed to be sitting in an NFL locker room putting on Vikings gear.

“We were like, ‘We’re here; we’re one step away,’ ” Kirksey said after the first practice of the Vikings’ rookie minicamp Friday, May 4. “We just have to show what we can do during this process and keep on gaining steps.”

Kirksey, defensive tackle Anthony Jacobs and wide receiver Da’Jon McKnight, all undrafted rookies and members of the 2011 Gophers, have to endure a long road to prove they deserve to be in the NFL.

But at least they have a player who recently showed them how to make that journey.

Two years ago, former Gophers cornerback Marcus Sherels was a long shot to make the Vikings’ training-camp roster. But Sherels went from turning heads on the first day of tryouts to making the practice squad in 2010. He then became a backup defensive back and the team’s punt returner last season.

“They put up a few (former tryout) names, and Marcus Sherels’ name was up there,” said Kirksey, who also was joined by former Gophers tight ends Tiree Eure and Nick Tow-Arnett. “They said not to be discouraged because ‘these guys did it.’ Our lockers just happened to be right across from Marcus Sherels. So you look up and you see his name, and it’s a little bit of an inspiration for you.”

Kirksey and Cal defensive end Trevor Guyton, a seventh-round draft pick, received praise from defensive line coach Brendan Daly while paired together during a leverage drill at the start of Friday’s practice.

Before Williams ended the drill, Jacobs asked if he could get an opportunity to practice rushing from the opposite side – making sure to get as many reps as possible.

“It was a great experience,” Jacobs said. “There’s a lot of learning and getting used to things. Coach isn’t putting in too much, so he’s allowing us to get good at the basics and move on from there.”

Frazier said after Friday’s morning session that he was “looking for somebody that will just grab your attention by maybe making a play.”

Jacobs shined at the Gophers’ pro day in March, as did tight end Eric Lair and running back Duane Bennett, who agreed to free-agent contracts with the Green Bay Packers.

McKnight had a disappointing pro-day performance and appeared sluggish for most of his first practice at Vikings tryouts. But he stood out briefly on a catch during 1-on-1 drills when he made cornerback Josh Robinson, a third-round draft pick, slip after McKnight’s sharp cut on a slant route.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound McKnight had been the Gophers’ top receiver after the Denver Broncos selected Eric Decker in the third round in 2010, the last year the U had players drafted. (The Vikings drafted Nate Triplett in the fifth round.)

McKnight lost some of his explosiveness after a knee injury last spring. He never was fully healthy during the 2011 season but still led the team with 51 catches for 760 yards, including a 173-yard, three-touchdown game against Michigan State.

“Everybody is faster and stuff, but you have to stay true to yourself and stay confident,” he said Friday. “I had a little swelling throughout the season. But in December I got it fixed. Ever since then, there’s been no problem.”

All five former Gophers face a tough task following in Sherels’ footsteps because several more undrafted players were invited this year than in 2010.

Getting a glimpse of the NFL lifestyle made Kirksey think about how he could provide for his daughter by “making it.”

He said more Gophers under second-year coach Jerry Kill should get a chance to play in the NFL.

“They definitely will have a shot,” he said. “Guys like Ra’Shede Hageman and Harold (Legania) have to realize there’s not too much of a difference in their body size. It’s just about (having the drive) and getting the job done.”

As you comment, please be respectful of other commenters and other viewpoints. Our goal with article comments is to provide a space for civil, informative and constructive conversations. We reserve the right to remove any comment we deem to be defamatory, rude, insulting to others, hateful, off-topic or reckless to the community. See our full terms of use here.

More in Sports

Falling behind used to be a nuisance for the Minnesota Wild before it became a crisis, a trend that is pushing them further out of playoff contention as the season grinds to the Christmas milepost. San Jose scored twice in a 29-second span midway through the second period to break open a tight game and send the...

In the midst of the best season of his career, Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter has been named to Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. He highlights the Vikings’ Pro Bowl selections, which also include linebacker Anthony Barr, safety Harrison Smith and wide receiver Adam Thielen.

Joe Mauer walked up to the podium at his alma mater and said one word, in the most Joe Mauer way. "Wow," he said. Everyone knew the Minnesota Twins were going to retire the No. 7 at some point. The all-star, MVP, batting champ and maybe one-day Hall of Famer deserved as much. But how would they do it? The...

Gophers football assistant coach Marcus West was skeptical he would be able to recruit defensive tackle Rashad Cheney out of the state of Georgia. But during a visit to Cedar Grove High School outside Atlanta, Cheney’s head coach Jermaine Smith assured West there was a distinct chance the Gophers could net the four-star recruit, who had pledged to the Georgia...

Moments after the completion of the National Anthem prior tothe Timberwolves' win over Sacramento on Monday night, rookie Josh Okogie ran to the hoop, jumped up and did a pull-up on the rim. It’s the type of action that comes as no surprise to his teammates. “He’s literally like that, it could be on the plane at two in the morning, it...